India: Stop police brutality against Hijras and Kothis in Bangalore

Activists for the rights of sexuality minorities in Bangalore are concerned about a recent pattern of alleged police harassment and abuse against hijra and kothi communities in the city.

Hijras are communities of transgender people and people with intersex conditions--mostly men who undergo castration--prevalent throughout South Asia. Kothis are men who have sex with men and who see themselves as feminine in sexual partnerships. Activists report incidents of police abuse, including arbitrary arrests and torture of those held in custody. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) joins the protest and condemns these reported patterns of police restrictions, harassment, intimidation and torture.